Pipe-tongs.



No. 838,514. PATENTBD'DBG. 18, 190s. G. W. BAKER.

PIPE froNGs. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22. 1905.

ATTO/@NE ys 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PIPE-TONGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1906.

Application filed August 22, 1906. Serial No 331.635.

T0 a/ZZ whom 7525 T11/Cty concern.:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WASHINGTON BAKER, a citizenof the United States, residing at Oxford, in the county of Sumter and State of Florida, have invented a new and useful Pipe-Tongs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tongs designed for use in connection with pipes and round bars of that type having teeth or gripping members set in the jaws to form the main gripping portions of the latter and having additional auxiliary teeth provided at the lips of the jaws for gripping pipe of relatively small diameter.

The invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify the construction and operation of a device of this character, so as to produce a maximum leverage and gripping effect.

A further object of the invention is the provision, in connection with pipe-tongs of the character referred to, of means whereby the maximum gripping effect of the jaws can be automatically maintained, so that the tongs will not loose their grip when the power is removed from the handle unless when particularly desired by the operator.

Vith these objects in view and others, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangementV of parts to be more fully described hereinafter, and set forthwith particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one of the embodiments of the invention, Figure 1 is a plan view of the tongs, showing a portion broken away. Fig. 2 is a side view showing the plate covering the pawl of the locking device removed. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view of the locking device, showing the pawl in inoperative position.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout by similar characters of reference.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate the jaws of the tongs, and 3 and 4 the shanlrs or handles thereof. The members of the tongs are of any desired size and shape and are pivotally connected by the bolt 5. The jaws, which are preferably of the claw type, are provided with a plurality of parallel grooves 6 on their concaved surfaces, said grooves being dovetail incross-section, so asv to receive gripping members or teeth 7. These members 7 are shaped to correspond to the grooves and are frictionally or otherwise held in fixed position therein. The outer faces ofthe members 7 are provided with serrations 8, that are beveled at a greater angle in one direction than in the other, so that they are adapted to bite into the pipe when the tongs are turned only in one direction. The members 7 are made of a suitable grade of steel, so as to withstand wear, and being set in the jaws of the tongs they can be readily replaced by other members having coarser or finer serrations. These teeth on the inner portions of the jaws constitute the main teeth of the tongs and are adapted to be used for operating on pipes of comparatively large diameter. To use the tongs for smallsized pipes, the lips 9 of the jaws are slightly concaved, and the concaved surfaces are formed with serrations 10, that form the auxiliary teeth of the jaws. It will thus be seen that the tongs have a large range of operation.

In connection with pipe-tongs it is desirable to provide a ready and effective means to hold the tongs tightly locked or clamped on the pipe, so that t ie bite will not have t0 be renewed every time the power is removed from the handles. For this purpose a locking device is provided which comprises a segmental arm 11 on one of the handles and extending through an opening 12 in the other handle, and a spring-pressed pawl 13, which engages serrations 14 on the arm 11. The handle 3, havin(r the opening 12, is recessed on its outer surface to form a chamber 15 in which the pawl 13 is arranged. Confined within the chamber and arranged between one wall thereof and the pawl is a helical compression-spring 16, which constantly urges the pawl toward the serrated arm 11. The chamber 13 is closed by a 4cover 17,

whose top and bottom ends are beveled to engage under overhanging shoulders 18 on the handle 3. The cover is thus removable by a lateral movement after the retainingscrew 19, that passes through an aperture 1n the cover and screws into the handle, has beenV removed. The serrations 14 are so formed that the pawl 13 `will ride freely over the 1 same as the handles 3 and 4 are moved tf1- ward each other. It will be noted that a particular relatj exists between the serrations of the Oripp' member 7 and the serrations 14 of the lj Ver ing device; rIhus as the handle'is drawn toward the handle 4 the serrations 8` of theV gripping members will bite deeper and deeper into the pipe, and at the same .time 5 the pawl 13 will ride under the serrations 14 and take up the full movement of the handles, so that the grip'o the jaws will be positivel prevented fromV lessening after the maximum bite has been produced. It will thus be seen that the greater the strain producedon the handles to movethe pipe,l the greater will be .the grip of thejaws, andthe locking device will' automatically maintain the'maximum grip. One advantage ofthis arrangement' is thati after' the tongs have been once applied'to'a'pipe'they will be posif tively heldf thereon, so` that a new bite will not have to be taken wit'h'each new purchase onthetongs. This will`save time and, furthermore, reduce the marring of thepipe to a minimum. Y

Inorder to releasel the dog when it is desired to take the tongs oily the pipe, the pawl is provided with a iinger 20, that projects through a' slot 21, extending laterally from the chamber 15. Thus by depressing the inger the pawl can be released from' the serrations 14 and the tongs opened. It may sometimes be desirabley to manipulate the tongs without using the locking device, and forV this purpose the pawl is adapted to be held in an inoperative position. To this end the fin er 20 ispivotally mounted on the pawl, t e inner end of the finger being arranged in a slot 22 of the pawl and held therein on a pivot-pin 23. One end of the recess 21 is offset at 24 so as to form a notch, in which the finger is caused to engage when the pawl is to be held out of engagement with the serrated arm 11. When the pawl is held in its inoperative positionin this manner, thev tongs can be used in the usual manner. As shown inFig. 2, the pawl has a central opening 25 through which the retaining-screw 19 ,j passes'. The openingY is of sufficient length to permit the pawlto be moved to an inoperative'position without the screw interfering. Itis obvious, however, that any other means may y be employed for holding thev cover late in position. l

Wh'i e I have illustrated the locking dev-ice in connection with tongs having special forms stood that* the loclingdevice is not necessarilyliinited to this type oftongs.

Ihave describedthe principle of 'operation of theinvention, together with the apparatus which I now consider tor be the best embodiment thereof; 'but I desire to `have it" understood: thatI the apparatus showny `ismerely A, illnstrative and lthatv variouschanges may be made, when desired, as are within the vscope of vthe invention.

o'grippingjaws, I desire' to have it under'- What is claimed is-' 1'. Al pair of tongs comprising jaws, handles connected therewith, an arm on' one of the handles having serrations, a pawl on the otherl arm, a spring for urging the pawl toward the arm, a device connected with the pawl` and means on the handle having the pawl with which the device is adapted to interlock when the pawl is in withdrawn position for holding the latter out of engagement with the said arm.

2. A pair of tongs comprising jaws, handles connected therewith of' which oneis provided with an opening, anarm'rigidly' connected to oneoithehandles and extending through the opening oi'theother', serrations onthe arm, a pawl mounted on the handle toiengage the serrations on the larm, alpivot'ally-mounted 'ingeron the pawl; and a notchonthe handle carrying the pawl for holding the latter'in an inoperative position. Y

3. A pair of tongs comprisingijawshaving main and auxiliary grippingeteeth, handles connected with;v the jaws, a locking device which automatically sets Vby the 'movement of the handles for holding the jaws gripped on a object, and" means arrangedv tof unlock the saiddevice andadapted to 'beadjusted when the latter isin unlockedV position for' renderL ing the locking device inoperative.

4. A pair of tongs comprising jaws having two setsof gripping-teeth arranged to grip for movement in one direction, one set of teeth being formedintegral withthe jaws and the other being inlaid therein handlesconnected with the jaws, an arm on one of the handles provided with serrations, a` spring-pressed pawl on the other handle arranged in operative relation with respect to the said arm to permit the handles vto be moved to grip the tongsand to prevent the handles from moving in an opposite direction, and an adjustable device for holding the pawl in an inoperative position.

5. A pair of tongs comprising jaws, handles connected with` the j aws'one of which is provided with a chamber open at one side, overhanging shoulders onthe chambered handle, a cover-plate engaging said shoulders for closing the chamber, a spring-actuated pawllin the chamber, a serrated arm rigid ononehandle and extending acrossu the 'other in loperative relationto 4the pawl, anda devicev on the pawl extending exterior to the chamber' for rendering the pawl inoperative.

'In testimony that I claim the foregoing? as my own I havehereto -aiiixedimy signature in the presence of two witnesses'.

GEORGE WASHINGTON BAKER Witnesses:

E. H. RownLL, J. T.' LAVEIGNE.

IOO 

